The primary function of food packaging, particularly meat packaging, is to surround the food product with a suitable protective material in order to protect the food product from undesirable impacts on quality, such as physical or microbiological alterations due to contamination. Packaging protects food products from various types of contamination, including contamination by dirt from surfaces and hands, contamination by micro-organisms (e.g., bacteria, molds, and yeasts), and contamination by toxic substances (e.g., chemicals). As consumers become increasingly concerned about health and food safety, new product packaging styles for meat and poultry are gradually becoming more important.